1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus, products, and methods associated with an elongate closure assembly for resealable packaging including an actuating member, such as a slider, operably disposed thereon.
2. Description of the Background of the Invention
Resealable packaging is a convenient and practical way to store a wide range of objects and materials. A resealable package, such as a pouch, having a pair of flexible walls that define an opening into an interior space, often includes a closure assembly positioned along a mouth of the package. The closure assembly often includes one or more sets of opposing, elongate, interlocking profile elements that extend between opposite ends of the mouth and engage each other when pressed together in one or more configurations.
In one instance, a closure assembly on a resealable package is sealed and unsealed by opening and closing a set of interlocking profiles in a pinch-and-seal manner by the fingers of a user. The user seals the resealable package by pressing together interlocking profiles—and unseals the package by pulling the profiles apart—with his or her fingers. The closure assembly has a first closure strip disposed on one package wall and a second strip disposed on an opposing package wall. Each of the first and second closure strips includes two parallel, spaced-apart interlocking profiles disposed between two bumper profiles, all of which extend from a same side of a backing flange.
Certain resealable packages may optionally include a slider to open and close the closure assembly. For example, another resealable package has a slider attached to a closure assembly having two pairs of interlocking profile elements to easily open and close the closure assembly. The slider has two opposing walls which close both pairs of interlocking profiles when the slider is slid in a closing direction along the closure assembly. The slider also has a separator member, or plow, extending downwardly between both pairs of interlocking profiles that opens both pairs of interlocking profiles when the slider is slid in an opening direction. Extending the plow between both pairs of interlocking profiles can create a gap or opening around the plow even when the slider is in a closed position on the closure assembly, which results in a non-continuous seal that may allow leaking of liquid, granular, or other contents held inside the package. A difficulty with resealable package closure assemblies including a slider is preventing leakage around the closure assembly, particularly at the closing end, because the plow, or other slider components, may impede the interlocking profile elements, preventing them from attaining an airtight closure of the package.
In a further instance, a slider for a double zipper closure assembly has a separator member that extends from a top wall of the slider to a location between an upper closure mechanism and a lower closure mechanism on a resealable package. A distal end of the separator member does not extend between the lower closure mechanism. Rather, a horizontal plate extends outwardly from opposite sides of the distal end of the separator member and presses outwardly on opposing sidewalls of the zipper closure assembly at a location between the upper and lower closure mechanisms. The horizontal plate is wide enough to force the lower closure mechanism apart by urging opposing sidewalls of the closure assembly apart. A docking area located at a closing end of the double zipper closure assembly includes a hole or slit through at least one of the opposing sidewalls so that the horizontal plate will extend through the hole or slit, thereby allowing the lower closure mechanism to remain closed at the closing end.
A further difficulty with resealable package closure assemblies arises when operably positioning a slider onto a resealable package closure assembly. Typical sliders are disposed over a closure assembly, yet have elements which fit between opposing interlocking profile elements to allow for opening and closing of the closure assembly. In some instances, the entirety of the walls of a slider is deformed to be positioned on a closure assembly. However, performing this action may cause a slider to lose some functionality should the deformation remain, and a slider not retain its original shape, after a slider is positioned on the closure assembly.